CPI(M) condemns violence against minorities in Karnataka

New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) today strongly condemned continuing violence against the minorities in Karnataka.

The party in a statement issued here said ''it is a matter of deep concern that instead of controlling the violence against the minority community in Mangalore the BJP State Government is providing patronage to the criminals of the Bajrang Dal who are spreading violence to other areas across the State.'' ''It is shameful that the violence has continued for days, religious functionaries including nuns are being attacked and places of worship and houses of prayer and idols sacred to the community are being broken.Instead of arresting the culprits, the State Government is threatening members of the minority community who were protecting the places of worship and has subjected them to brutal police lathicharges in which scores including women have been injured,'' the Party said.

The violence and threats against the minority community is an assult on the Constitution, yet the Centre appears to be a silent spectator with not even a statement passed leave alone any action emanating from senior Government functionaries, it said in its statement.

The violence in Orissa and now in Karnataka by the Bajranj Dal in the context of the clear evidence of their guilt in maaking bombs and planning communal attacks calls for immediate action against them by the Centre. The Manmohan Singh Government has to answer the people why it is utterly failing to protect the security of minority communities mandated by the Constitution, the statement added.